Cut flower box



. J1me 1957 J. N. CALLINICOS 2,796,980

' CUT FLOWER BOX I Filed May 18, 1953 INVEN T0R &? James jiifizllmecog,

BY MM W United States Patent CUT FLOWER BOX James N. Callinicos, Whitestone, N. Y.

Application May 13, 1953, Serial No. 355,739

1 Claim. (Cl. 206-46) It is an object of the invention to provide a carton of the foregoing sort which is quickly and easily erected from a flat, sheet-like, blanked-out and creased condition to erected and locked condition in a desired one of two optional forms; in one of these the carton has opposed fully closed end walls, like a conventional carton, and in the other it has one closed end wall and one apertured end wall through which long stem varieties may project.

Another and more specific object is to provide a paperboard carton body and an improved blank therefor which is formed and creased to define a bottom panel, side walls adjoining the same and end wall forming flaps at the ends of said bottom and side wall panels, the side wall end flaps at one end of the blank being specially shaped to provide marginal, aperture-outlining recesses. These recess bearing flaps, when manipulated to an upright, overlapped relation to one another and at right angles to the side and bottom panels, define an end opening adjoining the carton bottom panel through which long flower stems may project. The associated bottom end flap then underlies the stems and is creased longitudinally adjacent its side edges to aflford foldable, stem protecting side wings about which a ribbon, rubber band or other securing device may be placed to more snugly confine and protect the projecting stems.

A still further object is to provide a blank and carton as set forth in the preceding paragraph, in which the three described, side wall and bottom end flaps referred to, when folded into an upright, side-by-side relation are overlapped to completely close the carton end, and thereby provide what is to all intents and purposes a standard flower carton construction.

The foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention. Other and more specific objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction and mode of use of the carton,

A single embodiment of the invention is presented herein for purpose of illustration. It will be appreciated that the invention may be incorporated in other modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a flexible paperboard blank employed in fabricating the improved carton, illustrating the manner in which the blank is died out, creased and slitted; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, perspective views of Patented June 25, 1.9 57

cartons optionally constructed from the blank of Fig. 1 showing the relationship of the carton parts for the boxing of short stemmed and long stemmed flowers, respectively. I 1

Referring to Fig. 1, the blank 10 from which the improved cut flower carton is fabricated is in generally rectangular form. It is provided with pairs of horizontal, laterally spaced, parallel creases 11 which define side margins of an elongated rectangular bottom forming panel 12. Opposite end margins .of this panel are defined by transverse creases 13, 14, the crease 13 being substantially shorter than crease 14 and being located centrally of the panel end, for a purpose to be described.

Side marginal creases 11 hinge to the bottom panel 12 a pair of like side wall panels 15 which are of identical, elongated rectangular outline, coextensive in length with bottom panel 12. The opposite ends of panels 15 are marked by transverse creases 16, 17; these are in transverse alignment with the bottom end marginal creases .13, 14, respectively, from whose termini they extend oppositely. 7

Creases 13, 14 hinge the respective intermediate or central end wall forming flaps ,18, 19 to opposite ends of bottom panel 12, and it will be noted that of -these the flap 18 is horizontally subdivided by longitudinally extending creases 20 to provide foldable side strips or wings 21. Creases 20 extend outwardly from the ends of flap hinging crease 13, and the wings 21 are freed from panel 12 by means of short transverse slits 22 in approximate transverse alignment with crease 13.

The intermediate end wall forming flap 19 at the opposide end of bottom panel 12 is uncreased, and two coacting end wall forming flaps at this end, designated 23, 24, which are hinged by creases 17 to side Wall panels 15, are of more or less conventional end flap construction. A slitted locking tongue 25 may be formed in one thereof and a locking slit 26 in the other, enabling flaps 19, 23 and 24 to be set up as a closed end wall for the completed carton which is conventional. Other forms of end wall provisions may be employed at this end of the carton, if desired, but an unglued end is desirable.

Side wall end flaps 27, 28 at the opposite end of the blank, on either side of flap 18 are hinged to side walls 15 by the creases 16. They, like panel 18, are of special character and the three coact specially to afford the option of an open or closed carton end when the blank is set up.

For this purpose, flap 27 is provided with a recessed edge 29 on its margin adjacent flap 18, the out which defines that edge extending horizontally inwardly for a predetermined distance, and then arcing in acircular segment or quadrant inwardly to the rest of the flap margin, which is in alignment with a crease 11. The other flap 28 has its inner edge recessed at 30 in a quadrant which curves outwardly from a horizontal portion aligned with a crease 11. Flap 28 is of shorter endwise length than flap 27, and is provided at its free edge with a locking tongue 31. This is engageable in a locking slit 32 in flap 27 when the carton is erected.

In use, if it is desired to box ordinary, relatively short stemmed flowers F, as shown in Fig. 2, the blank 10 is manipulated to set up condition in a more or less obvious manner. Intermediate end wall forming flaps 18, 19 are swung to vertical position, and the respective pairs of coacting end Wall forming and lock flaps 27, 28 and 23, 24 are swung to side-by-side engagement and latched with one another by their locking tongues. This completes a three ply closed end construction at each end of the carton, by which the flowers are well shielded. A conventional type of cover is applied to the open topped carton body.

When long stemmed flowers are to be placed in the carton, the right hand end wall is erected by manipulating flaps 19, 23 and 24 in the manner described above. However, at the opposite end of the carton the flaps 27 and 28 are swung to side-by-side relationandinterlocked, so as to bridge over the stems of the flowers, as shown in Fig. '3, the stems projecting outwardly through the aperture defined by the recesses 29, 30 of flaps 27, 28, and overlying the central bottom flap 18. The side wings 21 of flap 18 are then flexed upwardly about their hinge creases 20, affording snug confining walls for the stems, and a cord, ribbon, rubber band or the like is then applied about the wings; This holds the stern in place against jostling and displacement, while affording a considerable degree of side protection for the stems. V V

The improved carton is as simple as any other carton now available to the trade. However, it aflords a standard size package for both short and long stemmed flowers, avoiding the extra cost of stocking two or more sizes, and it is erected to either form with case. It eliminates the need for special wrapping of especially long stemmed flowers, or the cropping of their stems to fita standard box, and still provides an eye catching container for the same.

I claim: 1 a

A floral package comprising a floral product having relatively long stems and an elongate paperboard container in which the floral product is disposed, said container comprising a bottom and upstanding side walls which are of less length than the length of the floral product, and upstanding end walls, one of said end walls consisting of connected flaps extending inwardly of the side Walls and each having an inner bottom portion cut away to provide an opening thereein adjacent the bottom edge thereof and an extension on said bottom Wall projecting outwardly of said opening and having side wings foldable upwardly on longitudinal hinge forming crease lines which are oflset inwardly of the side walls of the carton, said floral product being arranged in said container with the ends of the stems extending through said end opening and supported on said bottom extension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

